Death for rapists if victim below 12 yrs, says Haryana cabinet

The Haryana government on Tuesday said that in case of rape or gang rape of a girl below 12 years of age, there will be a punishment of death or rigorous imprisonment of not less than 14 years which may extend to imprisonment for life — that is for remainder period of person’s natural life, The Hindu reported.

The government decided to make more stringent existing criminal laws related to sexual offences against women and children. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday, decided to make amendments to Sections 376A, 376D, 354 and 354 D(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the report quoted an official statement as saying.

According to the section introduced under 376AA of the IPC, whoever commits rape on a girl up to 12 years of age will be punished with death or rigorous imprisonment for a term which will not be less than 14 years, but which may extend to imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life and will also be liable to fine.

Another provision made under Section 376D A of IPC, where a girl up to 12 years of age is raped by one or more persons constituting a group or acting in furtherance of a common intention, each of those persons shall be deemed to have committed the offence of rape and will be punished with death or rigorous imprisonment for a term which will not be less than 20 years, but which may extend to life which will mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life, and with fine.

Such a fine shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim.

Any fine imposed under this section will be paid to the victim, said the statement.

Apart from this, the Cabinet decided that under Section 354 of the IPC, whoever assaults or uses criminal force on a woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which will not be less than two years but may extend up to seven years and shall also liable to fine.